Automatic winding machine and method



P 1961 c. L. WELLINGTON AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE AND METHOD 6 Sheets-She et 1 Filed April 29, 1957 FIELI.

INVENTORZ CARY WELLINGTON ATTYS.

Sept. 26, 1961 c. L. WELLINGTON AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE AND METHOD 6 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1957 ATTYS.

P 1961 c. L. WELLlNGTON AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE AND METHOD 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 29 1957 ATT YS,

INVENTOR Q) Ch 5 CARY L. WELLINGTON I? HIM" llHlllll P 1961 c. WELLINGTON AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE AND METHOD 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 29, 1957 Ma G \q N INVENTORZ CARY L. WELL NGTON ATTYS.

Sept. 26, 1961 c. L. WELLINGTON AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE AND METHOD 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 29, 1957 INVENTOR;

CARY WELLINGTON ATT YS,

Sept. 26, 1961 c. L. WELLINGTON 3,001,734

, AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE AND METHOD Filed April 29, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 29 30 2 9 I 3/ 29 HEM]. [/4 2 CARY L. WELLINGTON BY WW ATTYS United States Patent 3,001,734 AUTOMATIC WINDING MACIDNE AND METHOD Cary L. Wellington, Stamford, Conn., assignor to Wellington Electronics, Inc., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 29, 1957, Ser. No. 655,718 29 Claims. (Cl. 24256.1)

This invention relates to an automatic winding machine. More specifically, the invention relates to structural features which enable a winding machine to operate automatically when used with a timer or other sequencing means for obtaining the proper sequence of operation. The machine is particularly useful for winding insulator and conductive tapes into spiral tape packages to form acpacitors. The invention also concerns the method of winding spiral tape packages.

Winding machines to be completely automatic must be capable of performing all of the functions necessary to the winding of a package of continuous material without intervention of human control. This means that not only the winding process itself but also the stripping, unloading and reloading must each be capable of automatic operation and, in addition, the severing of the tapes comprising the packages into proper lengths must also be accomplished automatically. It is likewise often desirable to perform a gluing operation to complete the tape package and possibly other operations automatically.

In the prior art, elaborate forms of multiple arbor winding machines have been designed whereby continuous tape has been transferred or at least placed in position to be attached to a second arbor before the tape being wound on the first arbor is severed. After severance, a completed tape package may be stripped from the first arbor and winding may proceed on the second arbor. The primary difficulty with structures like those of the prior art has been their complexity. This complexity, in large part, has been due to the fact that the arbors have been required to revolve as well as rotate. In order to accomplish these two degrees of movement a great deal of elaborate equipment is required to provide substantial support of the arbor to assure proper rotation while permitting revolution. Moreover, complex drive means for accomplishing revolution as well as the rotation, is required.

In addition, in the prior art it has been necessary to manually apply a rubber band or a piece of adhesive tape to a completed package to prevent unwinding. Therefore, no matter how automatic the action of the machine in other respects, a manual step at this point constituted a limitation on total production.

The present invention is directed to a machine which automatically winds packages from a plurality of strips of continuous material without intervention of a human operator, if employed with a suitable control means. This structure, however, does not require the structures to revolve or make any translational movement during the winding process or during the process in which the continuous material is transferred from one arbor to another. Instead the arbors are fixed in position and adapted only to rotate, although, in preferred forms, the mating parts of the arbor are separately axially withdrawable from the winding position. Moreover, in the winding machine of the present invention, but -a single cut, preferably made by a single knife thrust, severs the continuous material which extends between the arbors. It may do this, making the overall length of some of these materials different from the overall length of others. Consequently, in the case of the insulator in metallic tapes being wound into condenser bodies, at least one of the metallic tapes may be cut shorter, by but a single stroke of a single cutter, than the insulation which insulates it from the other metallic tape. Moreover, the outside insulator of the Patented Sept. 26, 1961 is deflectable from one arbor to another and is intended to terminate at alternate arbors on successive winding. Deflection means is adapted to move transverse to the supply path from opposite sides thereof to deflect the continuous material from one arbor across the other. In a preferred embodiment, cut-01f means is provided between the two arbors.

When the winding machine is used for winding tape packages, it may be employed with separating means which separates the tape into at least two paths, one of which is longer than the other between the two arbors. When this is done, there is also advantageously provided holding means to press the tapes together at some point intermediate the parts of the supporting means in order to provide a place at which the tapes may be severed by a single cutter.

The method of the present invention is concerned with the method of automatic loading alternately one arbor and the other. In accordance with the present invention, this is accomplished by deflecting all or" the tapes, between their respective supplies and the arbor on which a tape package is being wound across the other arbor in position for attachment thereto.

The method is also concerned with separating the tapes into groups having difierent path lengths between the arbors and severing the tapes in this position. Severing is preferably done in a common plane between the arbors through which the tapes pass and preferably by holding them together so that they may simultaneously be severed along a common line. a

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following drawings, which illustrate a preferred form of winding machine for winding condenser bodies from tapes of paper and metallic foil:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view showing the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view taken along section line 33 of FIG. 2, showing the winding arbors and their associated structure;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view somewhat similar to FIG. 3 but showing some of the structure in greater detail and showing the members associated with the arbor in the position shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view illustrating some of the details of the rotational drive and stripping actuator means of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a detail sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3, showing index means for halting the winding of the arbors;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view in partial section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 3, showing in greater detail the winding arbor region;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view partially in section showing in detail some of the elements associated with the arbor;

FIG. 9 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 7 showing the winding arbors deflecting, separating and holding means in the winding position for winding on the lefthand arbor;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the elements thereof in the process of severing tape wound on the left-hand arbor from the supply and simultaneously loading the right-hand arbor; and

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the completed tape package on the right-hand arbor and the lefthand arbor being loaded.

Referring to FIG. 1, the machine illustrated, as has been common in winding machines, has a generally vertically arranged support board 20, which supports from'a common surface, a plurality of paper tape supporting.

spindles 21 on which are supported spiral rolls of paper ribbon, one side of each of which bears against the common surface. The board 20 also supports spindles 22 and 23 which support spiral rolls of'metal foil tape and each of which, in some cases, may have its side adjacent the board against a diflierent plane from that bounding the paper rolls and different from the other metal foil rolls in order that tape drawntherefromihas one of its'edges in that-plane whereby it will be offset from one another in spiral packages ,to bewound from all-of the tapes. Holding each roll on its spindle is an outside {wall which with the edge defining plane forms a sort of 'reel for its tape and which preferably also urges its roll of tape against its edge plane defining surface in order to provide a slight drag against pulls tending to: unwind the roll. The required lateral pressure is supplied by sp'ring arms 25 fixed to an adjustable hub 26 held to the spindle by a thumb screw 27. The board 20 also supports de fleeting pins 28 which define and realign the tape path of the paper tape 29 or metallic tape 30 and 31 over at least part of itslength between the tape supply spindles 21 and the arbors 32 and 33. Except for thearbors, and possibly the symmetrical arrangement illustrated, the arrangement described is rather conventional and well known in the .art.. The pins 28 are preferably tapered or otherwise formed to direct the tape against the board for alignment purposes as taught in my copending US. application, Serial No. 503,924, filed April, 26, 1955, now Patent No. 2,916,228. v

Referring to FIG. 2, .it will be seen that the structure departs from conventional form also in that tape supplies are provided on each side of the support 20. The arrangement on both sides of the board preferably is .a mirror 7 image ofthe arrangement on the other side of the board.

Each of the two. arbors extends beyond the support 20 on both sides so that, as maybe seen in FIG. 3, each arbor serves to wind two tape packages simultaneously, although only one arbor is used at a time.

Referring to FIGS. 1 .and 2, it will be observed that the support panel 20 is supported on table top 36 in its vertical position by suitable bracket members 35. Table top 36, in turn,.is supported by suitable legs 37 which also.

support at least one shelf member 38 whereon a prime mover, such as motor 39, and a timer 40 are supported and to which theyare fixed.

Referring now to'FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, and particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be observed that the arbor structures are of essentially the type described and claimed in my copending applicationSerial No. 503,923, filed April 26, 1955, now abandoned, except that a different type of indexing means is employed. Since both arbors, and their associated parts permitting arbor withdrawal from winding position,are essentially the same, they will be described herein using the same numbers; Each of the arbors is composed of two mating arbor parts 45 and 46. Part 45 has a supporting member 47 which is located coaxially Within tubular member 48. Tubular member 48, in turn, is rigidly aifixed to, and serves as part of, the arbor supporting member 49 which supports arbor-part 46. Arbor part 49 is hollow to permit axial withdrawal of arbor. part 45 through its center. A slot 51 is provided in tubular member 48 and a key 52 on member 47 rides in that slot so that arbor supporting members 47 and 4849 are free to move only axially relative to one another. Tubular member .48, in turn, slides in an outer tubular member 53. Member 53 is provided with an axial slot- 54 in which key member 55 on member 48 rides in order to permit only relative axial movement between the two tubular members. On the end of the member 53 is fitted a cap 56 which provides a shoulder 57 against which a tape package 58 on the arbor may be drawn in the course of stripping and unloading the arbor. Cap 56 has an axial opening which serves as a bearing surface to permit the withdrawal of the arbor parts 45 and 46 axially therethro-ugh. As seen in FIG. 5, tubular member 53. has its end remote from the arbor partially closed to provide a shoulder 60. A spring member 59 arranged internally of the tubular member 53 is caused to bear against this shoulder at one end and against a shoulder 61 on the member 48 at the'other. A shaft 62 attached to center arbor support member 47 is axially withdrawable by means of a pull on piston rod 66 through coupling member 65. Coupling member 65 permits shaft 62 to rotate without turning the piston rod 66 which is aflixed to a piston within an air cylinder 67 mounted on the support frame 36 as shown in FIGS. 2 and '3. Tubular member 53'is rotatably supported and held' againstlateral and axial movement by ball bearings 63 at'its opposite ends (as seen in FIGS. 5 and 4) between tubular member 53 and housing 69, which advantageously may be formed as a unitary structure for the two arbor devices.

' As seen in FIG. 5 and FIG. 3, the 'rotatably supported tubular members 53 are provided :at their ends with intermeshing gears 71 and 72 having a 1:1 ratio which causes the two arbors to rotate in opposite directions at the same speed. Gear 72 is formed integrally with a pulley sheave 73 driven by a belt 74 connected to a pulley sheave 75 on the shaft of motor 39. It will be observed that this belt drive, as seen in FIG. 2, is capable of slipping whenfsome part of the rotating assembly associated with the arbors is restrained against movement. An arrangement for stopping =alfbor-rotation and indexing the arbors is shown in the detail view of 6. a j

.As seen in the detailed view FIG. 6, the pulley sheave 73 in this case is provided with a detent opening 77 into which a detent 78 fits. The detent is part of a plunger 79 supported relative to the frame in a bushing support 8% and spring loaded by spring 81 to aposition normally out of engagement with the sheave 73. As seen in FIG. 3, the detent may be actuated by a solenoid 83 or other actuating member having a piston 84 associated'with its core, said piston having a limited thrust but having its movement amplified through a lever arm 85 which bears against spring loaded shaft 79 and under urging'of the solenoid 83 drives its' detent 78 against the sheave 73 until the detent engages hole 77v and stops the movement of the rotating piston. After movement of the sheave is stopped, stopping the arbor rotation, the drive motor 39 will simply cause belt 74 to slip relative to the sheave.

It will be observed in FIG. 5 that gear member 71 bears a sprocket wheel 86 which may be connected by means of a chain drive 87 to a sprocket wheel 88 on the shaft of counter 40.. Thus, it will be seen that every rotation of the arbor as distinguished from the drive is recorded by the counter since there is no opportunity of slippage between the two. 9

Referring again to FIG. 1, it will be observed that the vertical supporting panel 20 has a large opening :above the supporting table to accommodate the arbors and their associated structure. It will also be observed that a plate 91 having a supporting L flange is provided, as can be seen in ,FIG. 4, with bearing inserts 92 to accommodate and laterally support the ends of arbors 32 and 33. The arbors 32 and 33 are uninterrupted between cap members 57 on one side and the plate 91 on the other, although separate means. may be provided in some embodiments to permit the stripping and unloading of the package 93 or a similar package on arbor .33 without its being brought into contact with a package 58.

'Referring now to FIGS. 3, 4 and.7, the structure assobe observed that there are two sets of essentially the same types of members adapted to cooperate with the arbors.

Both sets cooperate with all parts of the arbors on both sides of the board 20 and the parts do the same things to both tape packages on a single arbor. Since the machine is symmetrical about a vertical plane parallel to and between the .arbors, the same numbers are used to designate similar members on both sides of the arbors. Each set of rotatable members includes deflection means 95, holding means 96, and separating means 97. These three members are supported on a common rotatable shafit 98 which is journaled at one end in plate 91 and at its other end, after passing through a frame member 99 which is parallel to plate 91 and supported on support table 36, it

is terminated in a piston rod which has a piston internal of a cylinder 102 supported on the frame. Cylinder 102 may have a solenoid controlled valve associated with its air supply to move piston rod 100 and hence shaft 98 laterally or transverse to its supports 91 and 99.

As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 8, each of the rotatable membersis supported on the shaft 98 by means of a bushing. The deflection means 95 has a bushing 104, the holding means 96 has a bushing 105 and the separating means 97 has a bushing 106. Bushing 106 is keyed by key 107 to shaft 98 so that the separating means 97 rotates with said shaft. The edge of bushing 106 proximate to bushing 105 is slotted with slot 108 which receives projection 109 from bus-hing 105. Projection 109 and slot 108, therefore, serve as a lost motion device between holding means 96 and separating means 97. As can be seen in FIG. 8, the deflection means consists of a hooked arm 111 bearing rod 112 which when moved transverse to the tape paths deflects the tapes laterally. The holding member consists of a hooked arm 113 hearing a movable holding bar 114 which is moved against fixed holding bar 115 where it is held for cutting. The same fixed holding bar 115 serves for both movable holding bars 114 due to its location midway between aIbors 32 and 33. The two arms 111 and 113 are hooked to avoid interference with the arbors and other arbor associated members. In order to provide lost motion between them, they are placed close together and arm 113 is provided with a pin 116 which rides in a slot 117 in arm 111. Bushing 104 is also provided with an integral gear 118 which is driven by a gear 119 on a stub shaft 119a supported on frame member 99. Gear 119 is made integrally with crank member 120 by which it is turned and which is connected to the end of a piston rod 121. Piston rod 121 has a piston in air cylinder 122 which supplies actuating force to produce rotation of the rotatable arbor associated members 95, 96 and 97 and which may be controlled by a solenoid operated valve.

The separating means preferably consists of four rods 124, pairs of which provide separated surfaces for guiding the tape along difierent tape paths. These rods are supported, in turn, in a support piece 125, keyed to shaft 98. It will be remembered that the shaft 98 is laterally, as well as rotatably, movable, and it will be observed that member 106 bears key 107 which slides in a slot in shaft 98 so that lateral movement of this rod shaft 98 relative to bushing 106 is possible but relative rotational movement is not. 7

Stop member 127 is provided on the support 91 to cooperate with aprotrusion 128 on bushing 106 to limit the rotational movement of bushing 105, and hence the other members supported on shaft 98, in the open position of the arbor associated members 95, 96 and '97. This limitation is in the direction opposing the direction in which it is normally driven to closed position by the cylinder 122 through associated gearing. Springs are provided for biasing members 95 and 97 into open position when bushing 105 and its supported member 96 are open. One of these springs, spring 129, has one end afiixed in support 91 and the other end aflixed in projection 128 of bushing 105. The spring 129 thus tends to drive bushing 104 into the position in which the stop 127 intercepts the projection 1128. Another spring 130 connected to the bushing 105 also extends through to the member 111 on bushing 104 and may actually provide pin 116, tending to urge bushing 104 into its normal resting position.

There is a gluer to cooperate with each arbor and, as seen in FIG. 7, each of these gluers consists of a pot or receptacle 141 having a main roller 142 adapted to pick up the glue and apply it to an applicator roller 143 which is positioned at the top and to extend beyond the edge of the glue pot. The supporting arm and bracket 144 for the glue pot is rotatably affixed to a part of the support structure 145 by a rotatable pin support 146. A spring 147 extending between support bracket 144 and frame member 145 tends to hold the bracket against table portion 36. Lever arm 148 is aflixed to bracket 144 to rotate about rotatable support 146 and it, in turn, is connected by a stifi spring 149 to the armature 150 of a solenoid 151 aflixed to the support frame. Thus, it will be seen that, upon energization of the solenoid 151, the armature 150 will be retracted and the pull on lever arm 148 will cause bracket 144 to move the glue pot into a position in which the applicator roller 143 can apply glue. The spring 149 assures heavy pressure of the roller on the wound tape pachage'in order to obtain a good application of glue and yet provides a resilience which prevents damaging of parts.

Referring to FIGS. 9, l0 and 11, the operation of the apparatus associated with the arbor can be envisioned. The arrangement of their axes of rotation (shaft 98) slightly above and outside as opposed to between the two arbors keeps the arbor associated members out of the way during winding. At the stat of winding, both sets of arbor associated members are in the positions shown in FIG. 9 with both of the separating means in the extended position shown in PEG. 3 wherein the separating rods 124 are not introduced between the tapes. However, in the course of winding, the separation means on the side adjacent the arbor on which winding is proceeding is drawn into the position wherein its rods 124 separate the tapes as illustrated in FIG. 9. The same rods are drawn through and serve the sets of tapes on both sides of the board as piston rod is retracted into its cylinder 102. The tape paths to the arbors are arranged in such a way that the rods pass easily between them in exactly the same predetermined way each time. Preferably, as shown, the metallic foil tape 30 is separated on one side by two rods 124 from paper tape and on the other side from paper tape and a foil tape 31 when the tape path is to arbor 32, and conversely foil tape 31 is so separated when the tape path is to arbor 33. After winding is completed, as shown in FIG. 10, fluid cylinder 122 is actuated to draw the piston rod 121 downwardly and pull the lever 120 in a direction to rotate gear 119 nearest to the arbor on which Winding is taking place in a counterclockwise direction. This movement, in turn, drives gear 118 which is fixed to bushing 104 and hence the deflection means 95, or more specifically its hooked arm v111 and the deflection bar 112, across the arbors, through the tape path and downwardly. This element initially moves alone until pin 116 reaches the end of slot 117 and arm 111 then carries arm 113 with itin the same clockwise rotational direction. Thereafter, when the protrusion 109 on bushing contacts the shoulder at the end of the slot 108 in bushing 106, it drives bushing 106 in the same direction. Since bushing 106 is keyed by key 107 to shaft 98, its rotation produces rotation of the separating means 97 and its separating rods. The three members will then rotate together until they reach the position shown in FIG. 10. In the course of this rotation, the deflection means acts to defiect all of the tapes out of their path to the arbor adjacent the deflection means and across the other arbor. In this position, the movable holding means 114 is brought against the stationary holding means through the center of which passes a knife 136 which is moved by core .137 of solenoid 138 against the pressure of springs 139 upwardly and into a slot in movable holding means 114. The rods in this position of the separating means leave tape 30 (or tape '31 when winding has been on arbor 33) in approximately a straight line path between the two arbors while the other tape groups are separated and diverted each by two rods in considerably longer W-shaped paths. The W shape is due to the location of the movable holding means in position to pass between each pair of deflecting surfaces and the shape of the separating means assures that the tapes in the W from each side of the arbor will be longer than tapes passing directly through the separating means. In addition, because of the position of the cutter, each of the'severed ends of the tape in the middle of the separating means will be recessed from 1 the severed ends of the other tape. It will also be observed that in each case the spacing of pins 124 on the separating means 97 is wider between those pins .adjacent the pack-' age being wound than between the pins remote from the package. Specifically, the pin deflecting the single outside insulator is positioned to cause the length of. that tape between the tape package and the cut oil means to be longer than the other tapes in this region so that this outside insulator will overlap itself in an area to which glue is applied, and hence complete the package. It is, of course, possible to separate the tapes into more groups by a more complex structure in order to obtain a variety of lengths. Also instead of the three paths here just two through the separating means will usually be satisfactory although rarely used when three paths are so easily available. It will, of course, be obvious also that in some instances deflection means may be used without separating means where different tape lengths are not important.

The work of the deflecting means is primarily to defleet the tape past the arbor which wasunused in the previous run and hold it in position over and against one arbor piece so that the other arbor piece may be moved into position to clamp the tape in place and ready for rotation. Thus, while the tape is being cut by knife 136 to complete a package on one arbor, the previously unused arbor is loaded so that it will be immediately ready for use. During the functioning of the arbor associated members, the gluer on the same side as the active arbor associated members is moved into position by energization of solenoid 151 to apply glue to the tape package being completed.

From the above description of the various parts of the condenser winding machine and their operation, it will be understood that in order for the machine to be effective to wind tape packages there are two problems which must be solved. The first of these, indexing, has been solved by the use of the detent 78 which not only stops rotation of the arbors and all associated structures but stops the arbors in but a single precise position each time. That position, of course, is the one in which they may be conveniently loaded by the arbor associated members. The other problem concerns the sequence of operation of the various ports so that what is intended to be done by the machine can actually be done.

Sequencing can be done manually as can the actuation of the various moving parts. Manual operation, however, destroys much of the advantage of the machine since the machine is intended for high speed operation. It is, therefore, unlikely that manual drive of the various elements of the machine will be acceptable tousers although it is possible that in some applications initiation of the driving forces may be accomplished manually with satisfactory results. Whether initiation of the operations is accomplished manually or automatically, the initia tion of these opertions will be facilitated by the use of electrical switches as the manually operated control com ponents. The electrical switchesrmay directly connect the solenoids which are primary drive means to a power sourcev or they may be used to energize relays or solenoid operated valves in the case of air cylinders or otheri 8 V fluid drive systems. I In this connection, it should be noted that the arbor parts require three positions, namely: winding position, loading position, and withdrawn position. Loading position may be selected such that the rod 62 is withdrawn only so far as it may be withdrawn without compressing spring 61, and a three position valve operated by two solenoids may be employed to positively select any one of these, positions. The sequence of operation .selected' may determine whether a solenoid in a particular instance is normally energized or normally deenergized and correspondingly whether its associated switch is normally open. or. normally closed, Thus, it will be seen. that the. designer is permitted greatlatitude in, arranging for and producing sequencing in any given machine. Automatic operation may be; accomplished by counter means which is either'continuously driven or driven only during winding rotation as it shown here. In addition to the counter, certain of the operations may be initiated or stopped by interlock switches whereby one movement starts or stops another. The selection ofvthe particular means to accomplish the desired sequencing in a particular situation is a matter of choice and it can be widely varied in its application to the machine of the present invention and to the method of the present invention.

One possible sequence of operation of the machine described herein might be as follows: Initial attachment might be made manually to one of the'arbors (say 32),

, the arbor being selected on the basis of the sequence or order' of action of the other parts. Arbor 32 will be selected if the arbor associated parts on its side of the machine are sequenced to be moved first. Once the arbor is loaded and the detentis withdrawn winding may proceed on arbor 32. In the course of the winding,

' arbor 33 will be made to go through the stripping pro cedure just as though a tape package had been subsequently wound on it. Upon initiation of the winding, separation means 97 is withdrawn, but, in the course of winding, it is drawninto position with its rods between the tapes being wound to separate them into groups. After a predetermined number of revolutions the winding system is stopped by the indexing means which leaves arbor 33 in the proper position for loading. At this time, or sometime previous to this in the course of winding, arbor 33 should be placed in loading position by withdrawal of arbor part 45. Thereafter, the arbor associated parts associated with arbor 32 are brought into action and move into the posit-ion shown in 'FIG. 10 deflecting, separating. groups and holdingthe tape as shown. Specifically, the deflection means 95 serves to deflect the tape "across the other arbor 33; separation means 97 separates the tape into three groups having different path lengths between the arbors; and holding means 96 holds the tape for cutting as previously described. When in the position shown in FIG. 10, the arbor part 45 of arbor 33 is returned to winding position'clamping the tape between the two arbor parts 45 and 46. The cutter is then actuated and the adjacent gluer brought into position against the tape package on arbor 32.

With the tape thus attached to the arbor 33, the arbor associated members which have been deflected are permitted to return to position, the separating means being returned to its rest position as shown in FIG. 3, and winding commences. The winding completes the tape package on arbor 32 and initiates winding of the tape package on arbor 33. After completion of the package on arbor 32, the package is stripped and removed from the arbor by Withdrawal of both arbor pieces from wind- 7 v ing position. The arbor may be returned to loading po- Sometime before wind- 9 other tapes. Then the arbor associated elements are lowered, the tape is severed, glue applied and arbor 32 closed to grasp the tape which has been deflected across it. The process is repeated back and forth from arbor to arbor and each time two packages are wound on each arbor.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the separating means may be eliminated completely, as well as modified, thus materially simplifying the machine in a situation in which it is not important that the severed ends of the tapes be staggered. Other modifications of the machine and method. of the present invention as described will occur to those skilled in the art. All such modifications within the scope of the claims are intended to be within the scope and spirit of the present invention.

1 claim:

1. A winding machine comprising supply means for continuous material to be spirally wound, a pair of parallel winding arbors arranged with their axes lying in a plane, a deflectable supply path for continuous material from the supply means and adapted to intersect the plane from one side and to terminate at alternate arbors on successive windings a pair of deflection means operable one at a time adapted to move against the continuous material attached to one arbor and deflect it into the other arbor and adapted to alternate from one to the other such that the effective deflection means lies on the opposite side of the path of the continuous material from the arbor into which the continuous material is to be deflected, and cut-oif means positioned to sever the continuous material only after it extends from one arbor across the other.

2. The winding machine of claim 1 in which the cutoff means has an effective continuous material severing portion between the two arbors.

3. The winding machine of claim 2 in which the deflection means in addition to passing transversely into the supply path in order to position the continuous material in contact with both arbors, passes into the plane defined by the arbors outside of the area between the arbors and beyond the arbor into contact with which the deflecting means brings the continuous material.

4. The winding machine of claim 3 in which the continuous material is tape, the arbors are in a generally horizontal plane separate deflection means are provided to move from opposite sides of the essentially vertical tape supply path and each deflection means is adapted to move into the tape path when tape path extends to the arbor closest to its side.

5. The winding machine of' claim 4 in which each deflection means is supported on a hooked arm adapted to rotate about an axis parallel to the arbor whereby the movements transverse to the tape supply path and transverse to the plane may be accomplished.

6. The winding machine of claim 5 in which both of the arbors are adapted to rotate simultaneously.

7. The winding machine of claim 3 in which the continuous material is in the form of tape and a plurality of tapes are to be employed and in which separating means is employed to separate the tapes into at least two paths, between the two arbors when the tapes are deflected from one arbor across the other arbor, one of which paths is longer than the other.

8. The winding machine of claim 4 in which there are two separate separating means, one cooperating with each arbor, each means separating the tapes to follow at least two paths when extending between the two arbors, one of which paths is longer than the other.

9. The winding machine of claim 8 in which there are at least two separated deflecting surfaces defining each of the tape paths provided by each of the separating means and in which holding means is provided to hold the tape in position for cutting, relative movement of the separating means and the holding means being effective to cause passage of the holding means between separated tape path defining surfaces of the separating means.

10. The winding machine of claim 9 in which there are two separate movable holding means, each adapted to cooperate with one separating means and to pass between at least one pair of the separated deflecting surfaces in order to hold the tape in opposition to the cutting means.

11. The winding machine of claim 10 in which each holding means cooperates with the cutting means, which cutting means is associated with and moves relative to a fixed member between the two arbors against which each holding means is moved for alternate cuts by the cutting means, and the cutting means is associated with the fixed member and adapted to cut through all tapes with one stroke.

12. A winding machine comprising supply means for continuous tapes to be spirally wound together into tape packages, a pair of winding arbors arranged with their axes lying in a plane, deflectable supply paths for the tapes from the supply means which paths are adapted to intersect the plane of the arbors and to terminate at alternate arbors on successive windings, separate deflection means adapted to operate one at a time on alternate windings and adapted to move against the tape transverse to the tape path and from that side of the tape path opposite the arbor into which it is deflected and moving the tape through the plane of the arbors beyond the arbor on the opposite side of the tape path from the deflection means in order to deflect the tape from one arbor to the other, movable separation means associated with each arbor and having at least two path defining surfaces movable into a position for separating the tapes into at least two tape paths and so arranged that when the tape path is deflected by the deflection means, one of the tape paths between the two arbors is longer than the other, a fixed holding means between the arbors cooperable with each of two movable holding means adapted to move from opposite sides of the tape path between the tape defining surfaces of the separating means to deflect the tapes against the fixed holding means, and cutting means cooperable with and movable relative to the fixed holding means to sever the tapes.

13. The winding machine of claim 12 in which each of the arbors consists of a pair of mating arbor pieces which are supported on separate mounting members which are axially slidable relative to one another and between which the tape is held for Winding purposes, said pieces being axially withdrawable from the winding region one at a time and axially returnable to the region one at a time in order to facilitate stripping and reloading of the arbors.

14. The winding machine of claim 13 in which each separating means consists of a rotatable support mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the arbors and supports, and the path defining surfaces are provided by spaced rods such that when the rods are positioned between the arbors the paths defined thereby in cooperation with the holding means are of different lengths.

15. The winding machine of claim 14 in which a deflecting means, a separating means and a holding means are cooperable with each arbor and supported outside of the arbor other than the one which it aids in loading, two shafts for rotatably supporting said various means cooperable with the arbors, all of said means aiding a particular one of the two arbors being rotatably mounted on a common shaft, the two shafts being located on the same side of the plane of the arbors as the tapes and positioned so that normally only the tape path separating means lies in the path of the tapes but so that the deflecting and holding means as Well as the separating means may be rotated into proper cooperative relationships with one another into proximity to the plane of the arbors to permit tapes to be separated into different path lengths, placed in position for loading the alternate arbor and severed by a single stroke of the cutting means.

structure adapted to stop thearbor 16. The winding machine of claim in which a lost motion device is provided between the various means :on each common shaft in order to assure thateach of the means associated with each arbor achieves its proper position relative to the arbor plane and all except for the separating means remain'out of the tape path during winding. a 17. The winding machine of claim 15 in which the separating means is so arranged that its tape path defining rods can be moved axially into and out of position between separate tapes or groups oftapes.

18. The winding machine of claim 12 in which'adhesive applicators are adapted to be moved into contact with the wound tape end of the'tape.

19.. The machine of claim 15 in which the cutter is a knife which passes through the fixed member of the holdpackages at the time of severing the ing means against which the movable holding means is brought to bear to sever the tape, said knife being actuatable for said purpose through the tape path when it extends across the arbors. V 20. The winding machine if claim 12 in which two tape packages are wound on each arbor from separate supplies, these supplies being supported on opposite sides of a common supported arranged generally perpendicular to the arbors and efiectively dividing the arbors into two axial parts. i

21. The winding machine of claim in which there are only two arbors and two each of the deflection means, separating means and holding means. 22. In a winding machine an arbor structure compris-i ing a support structure rotatable relative to a frame of the machine and first and second arbors mountingrn'embers mounting first and second arbor mating pieces, said arbor pieces being adapted to be separately axially with-' drawn from winding position, the first arbor mounting member being only axially movable relative to the second arbor mounting member and having stop means limiting the amount of their relative axial movement, the

movement being sufficient to permit axial withdrawal of the first arbor piece from winding position before withdrawal of the second arbor piece and the second arbor mounting member being only axially movable'relative to the rotatable structure in order to withdraw the second arbor member from winding position, and indexing means on the frame and cooperable with the rotatable support 23. The winding machine of claim 6 in which the two.

arbors are driven from a common power supply and have their rotatable supporting structures coupled together by in one rotatable posi l 24. The winding machine of claim 23 in which an indexing means tji's p'rovided on the frame to cooperate with and engage some part of the drive system to stop the arbors in a selected unique position.

25. The method of winding electrical condensers from flat strips of ribbons of insulating material in conductive foil alternately on two arbors having their positions fixed laterally relative to another and relative to a machine frame after initial attachment to one of the arbors for winding purposes comprising, winding a tape package, drawing tapes from their supplies by the rotation of the arbor, and deflecting all of the tapes between their respective supplies and the arbor on which tapes have been wound across the other arbor in position for attachment thereto.

26. The method of Winding electrical condensers from flat strips of ribbons of insulating material in conductive foil alternately on two arbors having their positions fixed relative to one another and relative to the machine frame after initial attachment to one of the arbors for winding purposes comprising, winding a tape package, drawing tapes from their supplies by the rotation of the arbor,

, deflecting all of the tapes between their respective supplies and the arbor on which tapes have been wound across the other arbor in position for attachment thereto, separating the tapes into groups having difierent path lengths between the arbors and severing the tapes in this position. a

27. The method of claim 26 in which all of the tapes are severed along a common line.

28. The method of claim 27 in which the tapesare held together in a common line between the arbors and are severed along that line. 7 V

29.- The method of automatically loading the second arbor of a two arbor winding machine wherein the arbors are in fixed position relative to one another and the machine and the arbors draw the tapes from their supplies in the course of winding, comprising deflecting all of the tapes between their respective supplies and one arbor in which winding has been progressing across the other arbor in position for attachment thereto, attaching the tapes to said other arbor, and severing the tapes between the two arbors prior to winding on said second arbor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

